There are those out there that get angry with God because they "can't understand how a loving God would let so much evil into this world." These people don't understand the purpose of evil in this world. They see evil as an affront to their peace. They think that everyone should have the right to a home and health and food and common comforts. But that is simply not true. We as human beings do not deserve these things. We see what treasures they are, and this is why as human beings, we should seek to provide these for each other. We should bless each other with comforts. But we do not deserve them. This is why we should send our coat to the man who sues us for our shirt. We don't deserve the back that holds them. This is why we should turn the other cheek to a man who has slapped the first. We don't deserve life, let alone the comfort of an unbruised cheek. These people who think otherwise, who think that we all should live in our own private mansion with all the comforts and delights our hearts can dream of, our own personal heaven, if you will, these are the people who are not self-less. The word selfish does not necessarily describe these people. In fact, many of those who cry, "Oh, how could such a God?" They are some of the greatest benefactors I have ever seen. They would like to see all people at peace, which is not something to be scoffed at. But their anger with God as a result is heartbreaking. They are the 'unself-less'.
There are many, many, many people in this world who do not internalize the humility that we are told to have. We are told that love does not take offense. What a weighty statement! That we are to be so self-less that we should never presume to be right to the point that we should even take offense at someone else's words or actions. In some instances we see how rude it is to take offense at silly things. There are those who will get offended if you don't hold the door open for them, and there are even those that get offended if you do. Of course, it is not loving to be so ungracious over what some one is not required to do for you, no matter what obligation there may be. But we are asked to love our enemies, so that even if someone should slander me so hatefully as to cause permanent damage, I should take no offense as I am not worthy of a good reputation.
Many people know the story of Job, but they pay no attention to the moral of the story. Chapter after chapter where God sits Job down and says, "Where were you?" We have no right to presume what blessings God will give us, because if we had any right to them they wouldn't be blessings. We have no right to the air in our lungs, let alone a candy, apple pie in the sky type of existence. When people are angered because of the evil God allows in their lives, it's only because they don't feel joy because of the blessings. Evil is not an infringement on our right to happiness, quite the other way around, in fact. To those who say that they have chosen God, I say, "When?" Did you choose Him when you yelled at the guy who cut you off in traffic? Did you choose Him when you snatched your roommates change off the table? Did you choose Him when you snubbed the homeless man who approached you on the street? All examples that seem petty and harmless when we think about evil, but to put aside the obedience to a God who asks us to be kind, not greedy, and giving, that is evil and we need to recognize that. We didn't choose our parents or when they gave birth to us. We don't choose when rain will fall or sun will shine. Why should we think that we could ever win favor with Him? It is not God's duty to do good for us. It is our duty to good for God. When a soldier receives a medal it is because his service goes above and beyond the call of duty. This is why when a police officer is sworn to keep people safe, he could pull a family from burning reckage and still say, "Don't thank me, I'm just doing my duty." It is our duty to do what God asks of us and ask nothing in return. And this is why an officer who does not fulfill his duty, and even exploits his title is a scorned individual, and why a Christian who throws his cross on the ground saying, "why should I carry this?" is equally, if not more, disgusting.
What Christ did for us is what we cannot do. We cannot atone for our sins. There has never been a sacrifice brought by man to the altar which ever did anything to atone for sins. There is no such thing as a sacrifice of our own labor because nothing is apart from God. By the grace of God there were bounteous crops for a grain offering. By the grace of God was there fire for a burnt offering. By the grace of God was there a lamb for a sin offering. And there, but for the grace of God, go we. And by grace, by bounteous blessing, by pouring forth of His Spirit, do we bring forth fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; not the fruit of any man, but all are the fruit of the Spirit which can indwell any man. It was for the doing of good works that grace saved. That by those works God’s light would be seen in the hearts, souls, minds, and strengths of all those who love Him, seen by a populous who hate Him. But this is the reason for all of it. Good/evil, joy/sin, pain/pleasure, fruit/sterility, love/hate, all must exist in order to culminate the greatest love story ever told. I must become less so that He may be more, and this is all I should ever hope to accomplish. There is no pursuit of mine, no pleasure of mine, no moment of mine that should be apart from Him. I find no greater pursuit than the quest for the desires of His heart to become mine. Only then will I truly understand the Suffering Servant, the Passover lamb, the Son of God. Only then will I grow in faithfulness that never begs for answers or even dares to question. Only then will I, the clay, no longer ask the Potter, "Why have you made me this way?" There is no place for the words that say, "How could such a God…" when I understand what kind of God He is. "Such a God" need not be doubted. "Such a God" is faithful and fulfills His Word. And not one yot nor one tittle shall pass until all has been fulfilled.
There are many, many, many people in this world who do not internalize the humility that we are told to have. We are told that love does not take offense. What a weighty statement! That we are to be so self-less that we should never presume to be right to the point that we should even take offense at someone else's words or actions. In some instances we see how rude it is to take offense at silly things. There are those who will get offended if you don't hold the door open for them, and there are even those that get offended if you do. Of course, it is not loving to be so ungracious over what some one is not required to do for you, no matter what obligation there may be. But we are asked to love our enemies, so that even if someone should slander me so hatefully as to cause permanent damage, I should take no offense as I am not worthy of a good reputation.
Many people know the story of Job, but they pay no attention to the moral of the story. Chapter after chapter where God sits Job down and says, "Where were you?" We have no right to presume what blessings God will give us, because if we had any right to them they wouldn't be blessings. We have no right to the air in our lungs, let alone a candy, apple pie in the sky type of existence. When people are angered because of the evil God allows in their lives, it's only because they don't feel joy because of the blessings. Evil is not an infringement on our right to happiness, quite the other way around, in fact. To those who say that they have chosen God, I say, "When?" Did you choose Him when you yelled at the guy who cut you off in traffic? Did you choose Him when you snatched your roommates change off the table? Did you choose Him when you snubbed the homeless man who approached you on the street? All examples that seem petty and harmless when we think about evil, but to put aside the obedience to a God who asks us to be kind, not greedy, and giving, that is evil and we need to recognize that. We didn't choose our parents or when they gave birth to us. We don't choose when rain will fall or sun will shine. Why should we think that we could ever win favor with Him? It is not God's duty to do good for us. It is our duty to good for God. When a soldier receives a medal it is because his service goes above and beyond the call of duty. This is why when a police officer is sworn to keep people safe, he could pull a family from burning reckage and still say, "Don't thank me, I'm just doing my duty." It is our duty to do what God asks of us and ask nothing in return. And this is why an officer who does not fulfill his duty, and even exploits his title is a scorned individual, and why a Christian who throws his cross on the ground saying, "why should I carry this?" is equally, if not more, disgusting.
What Christ did for us is what we cannot do. We cannot atone for our sins. There has never been a sacrifice brought by man to the altar which ever did anything to atone for sins. There is no such thing as a sacrifice of our own labor because nothing is apart from God. By the grace of God there were bounteous crops for a grain offering. By the grace of God was there fire for a burnt offering. By the grace of God was there a lamb for a sin offering. And there, but for the grace of God, go we. And by grace, by bounteous blessing, by pouring forth of His Spirit, do we bring forth fruit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; not the fruit of any man, but all are the fruit of the Spirit which can indwell any man. It was for the doing of good works that grace saved. That by those works God’s light would be seen in the hearts, souls, minds, and strengths of all those who love Him, seen by a populous who hate Him. But this is the reason for all of it. Good/evil, joy/sin, pain/pleasure, fruit/sterility, love/hate, all must exist in order to culminate the greatest love story ever told. I must become less so that He may be more, and this is all I should ever hope to accomplish. There is no pursuit of mine, no pleasure of mine, no moment of mine that should be apart from Him. I find no greater pursuit than the quest for the desires of His heart to become mine. Only then will I truly understand the Suffering Servant, the Passover lamb, the Son of God. Only then will I grow in faithfulness that never begs for answers or even dares to question. Only then will I, the clay, no longer ask the Potter, "Why have you made me this way?" There is no place for the words that say, "How could such a God…" when I understand what kind of God He is. "Such a God" need not be doubted. "Such a God" is faithful and fulfills His Word. And not one yot nor one tittle shall pass until all has been fulfilled.
